SDSU's role low-key in stadium project

“It would be their home, too,” Morrison said. “They should be a part of (financing) it.”

Weber said the university might contribute financially to a Chargers stadium, depending on where it is. Bayfront sites in National City and Chula Vista are near the trolley line, which would be accessible to students and faculty. Oceanside doesn't have access to the trolley. But Weber said that doesn't mean he would oppose a site there. He said SDSU has not talked to Oceanside officials about the stadium search.

Weber said he has been in intermittent talks with Chula Vista officials about a satellite campus at the university complex for about 10 years. Point Loma Nazarene University, Southwestern College and Mexico's Monterrey Tech have expressed interest in the complex, McCann said. There is no financing plan for the project.

He said extensive study is needed to decide whether California State University system dollars would be better spent adding buildings on the main campus or establishing a satellite.

“Where do we get the biggest bang for the bucks?” Weber said.

For the Aztecs, Qualcomm Stadium remains the ideal site because of its proximity to campus and trolley accessibility, Weber said. However, he has envisioned the Qualcomm Stadium property playing a larger role for his school.

If the Chargers relocate within the county, Weber said SDSU would consider initiating talks with the city about buying and developing the 166 acres at Qualcomm Stadium. City officials have said the property might be worth $500 million. “I assure you that I don't have $500 million in my pocket,” Weber said. “Whatever becomes of the site, if the city were to sell it, would be a complex deal. It could be a place for retail and residential housing. We have a real interest in some of those things.”

Expanding onto the Qualcomm Stadium site could help the school meet a goal of increasing its student body from 25,000 to 35,000 in the next 20 years, Weber said. The land, if acquired, might be used for classrooms or housing, Weber said. SDSU officials have discussed the prospect of building their own stadium, which would cost about $200 million. That is far more than the $50,000 per game minimum the Aztecs pay the city under its lease.

“Our hope is that the Chargers find a place they feel is appropriate,” Weber said. “Then San Diego State would sit down and see if we can bring some finances to bear.”